Familiar Faces
by captainodonewithyou
Summary: If Graham were able to be in the finale, this is a scene I would really like to see. (swan)


"You've gotten better at this, Swan!" Killian shouts over the metallic clang that rings as Emma's sword strikes the guard's armor. "Rather impressive."

"And you seem to be out of practice. Bad form." She teases lightly.

He smirks, swinging the handle of his sword to hit the last conscious guard on the side of his head. The man hits the floor with a thud as he joins his bruised comrades.

"What do you say, Swan? Lets get out of here before they send in the next round?"

She nods breathlessly and they continue cautiously down the hall, swords drawn.

"You two, halt!" A voice shouts from behind them.

_A really damn familiar voice._

"We just took down a dozen of your friends, mate. I suggest you back the hell off before you join them." Killian steps forward, waving the sword in his hand slightly to reiterate his threat.

The guard shifts uncomfortably in his armor and - reluctantly? - removes his sword from it's place at his side. His helmet masks his face, but her instincts are positively buzzing, and she knows this man.

All at once, it hits her. She remembers steely blue eyes, feels the ghost of warm shaking hands that caress her cheek gently, remembers the soft lips that curl slightly into a nervous smile as they meet her own.

"Hook, wait." She says cautiously. Her sword falls to the ground with a loud clatter. Killian's head nearly whips to the side in shock.

"What the bloody hell are you doing, Swan? Are you daft?"

She ignores his protesting as she tiptoes slowly toward the man, finally stopping when she's only a few feet away. Killian stays near, keeping close enough to protect her if the need should arise.

"Graham?" She breathes softly after a moment of silence. "Is that you?"

The man is silent for a endlessly long moment. Then, slowly, carefully, he lifts the helmet from his head, revealing a mess of curly dark brown hair, and _holy shit she was right._

"How do you know me?" His voice is gentler now, like she remembers him in Storybrooke. "I've never seen you before." Emma pauses, unsure of how to proceed. Of course there's no way he remembers her.

"You're here for Snow White, aren't you?" He asks.

"How did you know that?" Killian takes a few steps forward as he speaks, standing at Emma's side.

Emma breathes a sigh of relief as Graham returns his sword to his side. He wasn't going to hurt them, and Regina had no idea that they were here, in the tunnels beneath her castle.

"Simple." He says, glancing warily at Killian, whose sword is still pointed uncomfortably close to his neck.

"Put your sword away. I trust him."

Killian bites his lip, internally processing the scene before him before he finally gives in and slides the sword into his scabbard.

"Go ahead." She says quietly, pulling Graham closer to the wall of the tunnel, in case another guard passes nearby.

"Regina wants to kill her and the prince. She's ready to do that today, and suddenly there's two intruders sneaking in beneath the castle. It's quite obvious."

"If this were the case," Emma begins, wanting desperately to believe her instincts that shout at her to trust him are true. "Are you going to get in our way?"

"On the contrary. I'm not here to be an adversary. I'll help Snow White how ever I may."

She doesn't say much to Killian once they've left the castle. Once they've left Graham.

He hasn't asked her about him. He's figured out enough to know that Emma was close to this man. By the tears that fill her eyes as they trudge further from the castle, losing Graham was a painful event. As if she needed another heartbreak.

When they're far enough away, she slides down to on the damp ground. She's shivering, but it's too dangerous to light a fire here - they can't risk being seen. Instead, he does the best he can for her, removing his overcoat and slipping it around her shoulders.

He's never seen her like this. It's nothing like her usual demeanor, her usual mile-high walls keeping everyone from seeing the way she feels.

"You alright, love?" He asks quietly, taking a seat beside her.

"Yeah." She means to sound natural, but her voice comes out tight. She covers it with a smile. "Don't worry about me. We have plenty of other things to worry about."

"Emma… if there's something on your mind, you can tell me."

She shakes her head in response, resting a hand on his knee to reassure him.

"I'm fine."

He slips his hand under her own, lacing his fingers between hers before slowly lifting it to his lips and pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles. Green eyes meet his before shyly dancing away.

"Not everyone you open up to is going to disappear, Swan."

Her breath catches in her throat as she realizes that right now, she can either push him away again or she can accept this. Maybe it's time to stop running in the other direction when he takes a step towards her. The world is upside down and backwards right now, but he's still here, and he's not about to leave her side. He doesn't need a declaration of undying love. Not right now. He just needs to see that she's not running from him. And she can do that.

She squeezes his hand a bit tighter as she leans closer to him, resting her cheek on his shoulder.

"I know. I'm not very good at this, you know that. Just… thank you for not giving up." Her voice has dropped to a whisper.

The stubble on his face tickles her cheek as he whispers his reply.

"I'll be here as long as you need me."

They're both smiling into the silence, though neither can see the other through the impenetrable darkness of the forest. They've been up a beanstalk, to Neverland, Storybrooke, New York then back to Maine; now they're decades into the past. They've jumped over every obstacle thrown into their path, and they'll make it over this one, too. They'll do it together.


End file.
